Democrats in the State Senate spend a great deal
of time and energy debating against one of their own legislative
agenda items on the floor of the Senate, causing Majority Floor
Leader Todd
Lamb to scratch his head in dismay.

“I like to think I have a solid grasp on politics
and the rhetoric that accompanies it, but if a political party
places a legislative priority on a particular issue, you can usually
count on members of that party debating in favor of it when it
comes to the floor,” Lamb said. “But when Senator
Mazzei brought up his legislation to phase out the sales tax on
groceries, several members of the Democrat caucus debated vociferously
against it.

In a news release entitled Senate Democratic Caucus
Unveils Legislative Agenda, dated January 30, 2009, the Democrats
made a point that one of their priorities was “Strengthening
Oklahoma’s middle class.” (page 1)

Under Agenda Item 2 – Strengthen our Middle
Class, with a subheading of Middle class tax cuts, (page 3), the
Democrat news release reads as follows:
*If there are serious discussions about tax cuts we believe they
should be limited to tax cuts that benefit the majority of Oklahoma’s
population which fall in the middle class.
*Tax cuts like an increase in the standard deduction, an earned
income tax credit or eliminating the sales tax on groceries are
all tax cuts that help Oklahoma’s middle class the most
and should be at the forefront of any discussion about the tax
system in our state.

“Imagine my surprise yesterday when I heard respected members
of the Democrat Senate debating against one of their own legislative
agenda items,” Lamb said. “Now they’re debating
against themselves on their own agenda bills. We’re all
about letting our members vote their consciences, but when a leader
of a caucus stands up in a news conference promoting an agenda,
then debates and votes against it on the floor, they’re
now venturing into hypocrisy.

“The minority party needs to decide what they stand for,”
Lamb continued. It’s one thing to press release your support
for the middle class, and quite another to actually do something
that benefits the middle class. The minority party is trying to
have it both ways.

“After 101 years of almost unfettered Democrat
control, Republicans finally have a voice, and will not send mixed
messages to those who elected us. We will offer real reform that
will benefit all Oklahomans, regardless of party, race, or economic
status,” Lamb concluded.For more information contact:
Sen. Lamb's Office: 405-521-5632